Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Ozerki, Vyborgsky District)

The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is an active stone Orthodox church in the village of Ozerki, Vyborgsky District, Leningrad Oblast, on the Gulf of Finland coast by the Primorskoye Highway. Building began in 1999 as a church of All Saints, and it was consecrated in 2006 in the name of St. Nicholas. It should not be confused with the churches of Ozerki in St. Petersburg: this Ozerki is a village in the Primorsk urban settlement, known until 1944 by its Finnish name, Seivästö.

History

The church was founded in 1999 in honour of All Saints; construction took several years and was largely finished by 2005. It was consecrated, however, in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, apparently in honour of its main benefactor, who bore the same name and did much to see the building completed. The solemn consecration on 30 September 2006 was led by Metropolitan Vladimir (Kotlyarov) of St. Petersburg and Ladoga and Bishop Markell (Vetrov) of Peterhof, after which the benefactors received church awards.

According to the rector, Father Dionisy Kholodov, the builders based their work on an unrealised design for an Orthodox church dating from 1905. He could not name either the author of the original design or the architect who adapted it by the time construction was finished.

What to see

The church stands on the slope between the Primorskoye Highway and the gulf: a staircase leads down to it from the road, and the upper landing gives a view over the Gulf of Finland. The grounds are well kept, with lawns and paths, and shrubs flower by the walls in summer. On Yandex Maps it is labelled "Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker".

The parish also looks after the Church of the Intercession in the village of Luzhki and a chapel of St. Nicholas at the Okunevaya holiday centre on the Primorskoye Highway.

Getting there

Ozerki lies on the Primorskoye Highway (A123), which runs from St. Petersburg through Zelenogorsk to Primorsk and Vyborg. By car, the easiest way is along this highway from Zelenogorsk; the church can be seen from the road, and a short staircase leads down to it. Address: 92A Verkhnyaya Street, Ozerki.

Good to know

The church is active. Its feast days are the days of St. Nicholas, 22 May and 19 December. The Sunday liturgy usually starts at 10:00; check the schedule with the parish in advance, especially around feast days.